[comp.protocols.nfs] 3com Ethernet boards

TOMIII@MTUS5.BITNET (Thomas Dwyer III) (06/16/90)

Hi there.  I don't know of any appropriate place to post this question,
so if this list is not appropriate, I'm sorry.  Anyway, I have been
given the task to write an install program for use by people with new
machines that they want to use on the PC-NFS network.  These people are
not the techical type, and have no idea what a 3com board is.  We have
three types of boards in use here (3c501, 3c503, and 3c523) which all use
different device drivers for PC-NFS.  I need to write a program that will
detect which type of board is in the machine and install the appropriate
device driver(s) in the CONFIG.SYS file.  The best solution 3com had to
offer was to open up our 300+ machines here and look at the card inside.

I have a program called MYEADDR which will tell me the Ethernet address
on the card, but it must have a parameter on the command line telling it
which type of card I want to get the address from.  If I specify the
incorrect board type, the address comes out as either 0:0:0:0:0:0 or
ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff so I can find out what kind of 3com board is in the
machine.  This is not an acceptable solution, however, because like I
said, this is beyond the ability of those running my install program.

If anyone knows a software method of determining which type of 3com board
is in a machine, or even the Ethernet address on the three boards, I would
be most greatful.

Thanks,
Thomas Dwyer III                               TOMIII   @ MTUS5.BITNET
Network Programmer                             DWYERIII @ MTUS5.BITNET
Michigan Technological University